G5 Playoff

[Yosef10]

http://www.espn.com/college-football/st ... er-5-teams


Interesting in the sense I thought this would become a thing a few years down the line. I can see both sides of the coin on this one but either way something has to be done with the bowl setup regardless for G5 teams and especially champions going forward.

[/\PP ST/\TE GRAD 09]

One of my biggest concerns when we moved up was how relevant bowls would be compared to the playoff system we came from on the FCS level. Do I miss playing in FCS? Hell no. Do I miss the playoffs? Hell yes.

[moonshine]

It's the late 70's all over again...FBS-AA!

[JonW]

This was discussed as something similar to the NIT on Mike & Mike this morning. If you could incorporate the bowl structure into the playoff, as is done with the P5 playoff, then it may gain some traction. Too much money is at stake if you scrap the bowl system entirely in favor of a G5 playoff.

[Saint3333]

Don't fall for it. The day the G5 agrees to this they will lose their NY6 bowl slot and IMO an eventual shot at a slot in the inevitable eight team playoff.

You can't have both as a G5 playoff that excludes the top ranked G5 team would be meaningless.

[/\PP ST/\TE GRAD 09]

Don't fall for it. The day the G5 agrees to this they will lose their NY6 bowl slot and IMO an eventual shot at a slot in the inevitable eight team playoff.

You can't have both as a G5 playoff that excludes the top ranked G5 team would be meaningless.

I don't think we will see a G5 team in the playoffs. The fact that a 8-4 Aurburn team is ranked ahead of a 13-0 Western Michigan team speaks volumes, and even if it expanded to 8 teams, G5 would likely miss the chance. It would almost take a 13-0 season with an upset or two against top 15 teams in order for a G5 to even be in the conversation. It's become more and more apparent that as moonshine said, G5 will become FBS-AA. The inevitable super conferences that will be formed by P5 teams is the icing on the cake.

[Yosef10]

We definitely will never see a G5 team in the playoff as is currently. I don't think it would even happen in an 8 team scenario unless they say the highest ranked G5 team gets the 8th seed. Regardless, I don't see more than one G5 team getting a playoff spot even in an 8 team scenario and that's garbage as well. They simply have no incentive to care about G5, it's all about getting money for the big boys.

Personally, I would take the G5 playoff over the NY6 game. You get all the perks of exposure while playing inspired teams instead of the big boys who barely missed a playoff spot and are now forced to play the little guys in a game they more than likely don't want to play. FSU and UA played some of the most uninspired football I've seen against UH and Boise respectively.

[AppinVA]

Then let's just freaking go back to FCS. Yippie

[Saint3333]

I would take a trip to the Cotton Bowl versus the Big Ten, PAC 12, etc. over three games with AAC, MAC, CUSA teams.

[/\PP ST/\TE GRAD 09]

Football is different than basketball when it comes to love for the little guys. Every year in March, everyone wonders which mid-major will become the next George Mason, Butler, Davidson, etc. Football, not too many care about the fact Western Michigan is in a NY6 game. If it expanded to 8 teams, and the 8 spot automatically went to the top G5 school it would be a very lop sided game. Imagine Western Michigan playing Alabama in the first round.

[Yosef10]

Much different that FCS. They get peanuts compared to our revenues. FWIW I follow a sports economist on Twitter and he was talking about this scenario and actually wrote about it 4 years ago. He sees this as a way to somewhat close the revenue gap between G5 and P5. I don't know anyone on this board who wouldn't be happy with that. But it makes sense, id bet a playoff game will get a lot more eyeballs than the Dollar General bowl. And teams would get the money not the bowl sponsors.

[/\PP ST/\TE GRAD 09]

I would take a trip to the Cotton Bowl versus the Big Ten, PAC 12, etc. over three games with AAC, MAC, CUSA teams.

I would too, however a trip to a NY6 bowl is less likely than making the playoffs at the G5 level. For near future example, we lose to UGA, we aren't going to a NY6 game. A win against Wake and our conference would not be enough. So after week 1, we will know whether we have a shot at NY6, or if we should start talking about another trip to Montgomery. That is why the playoffs are more appealing to me.

[3rd]

Much different that FCS. They get peanuts compared to our revenues. FWIW I follow a sports economist on Twitter and he was talking about this scenario and actually wrote about it 4 years ago. He sees this as a way to somewhat close the revenue gap between G5 and P5. I don't know anyone on this board who wouldn't be happy with that. But it makes sense, id bet a playoff game will get a lot more eyeballs than the Dollar General bowl. And teams would get the money not the bowl sponsors.

You and he assume we would get the same/more money in a playoff, you must not remember much with what happened in the 70s. ESPN is losing money badly right now the money pot that was causing all of the massive TV deals is simply not there. 10 years ago every talking head said there will be no way they give up the money of BCS for a playoff look what happened. They will go to 8 it only takes a big SEC school to get left out.

[MtnDevil95]

Conversely in the ESPN article the NIU AD suggests it is impossible for a G5 to make the CFP. I think App State would have a (however improbable) path to an 8 team CFP next season. Sure the stars have to align exactly right, but it is possible. Just for the sake of argument, lets make a few suppositions to prove the hypothetical. First, 2017 is an 8 team CFP structure with 1 guaranteed G5 slot. Second, the Sun Belt has a conference championship game. Third, App State runs the table finishing 13-0 and an outright conference title. Finally fourth, UGA finishes 12-1 (only loss to App State) with an SEC title in hand. I think this scenario it's fairly safe to say that Georgia has upset Alabama in the SEC championship game and the SEC is getting 2 teams into the Elite 8, but App State would very likely be the G5 representative, and possibly higher than the 8th seed.

In the 2019 Schedule thread we are talking about scheduling OOC games, and I suggested P5 teams that are more winnable, and I still follow the logic in my own statements as a program builder. However, if and when App State is going to be in position to be a possible G5 representative in an NY6 or 8 team CFP, then the big wins will need to be there. That means playing and beating a Georgia, or Clemson, or Michigan (again). It's possible only if there is NOT a G5 playoff.

[Yosef10]

Much different that FCS. They get peanuts compared to our revenues. FWIW I follow a sports economist on Twitter and he was talking about this scenario and actually wrote about it 4 years ago. He sees this as a way to somewhat close the revenue gap between G5 and P5. I don't know anyone on this board who wouldn't be happy with that. But it makes sense, id bet a playoff game will get a lot more eyeballs than the Dollar General bowl. And teams would get the money not the bowl sponsors.

You and he assume we would get the same/more money in a playoff, you must not remember much with what happened in the 70s. ESPN is losing money badly right now the money pot that was causing all of the massive TV deals is simply not there. 10 years ago every talking head said there will be no way they give up the money of BCS for a playoff look what happened. They will go to 8 it only takes a big SEC school to get left out.

ESPN may be losing subscribers but they are making PLENTY of profit year over year and revenues rose last quarter. ESPN is fine. And it's not just ESPN who would be interested in the broadcasts, CBS and NBC have shown interest. Also, if this were to happen, anyway you slice it we would gain more $ in this playoff scenario. We are lucky if we make 1 dollar playing in bowl game, most schools take a loss playing in bowls.

[appstate77]

No thank you. I do not care to return to an FCS/JV kind of scenario.

[HeffnerIV]

I can see both sides of this and they both have some appeal, but selfishly, I think we need to focus on winning the conference each year and beating the P5s on a regular basis. This is the only way we'll get into that upper-echelon we're all craving. I'd say we're doing pretty well on the conference portion. I don't want a one-two season flash like Houston, Memphis, Western Michigan (I predict) and this is what it'll take to get the respect we want, get more viewers on TV and ultimately get the respect of P5s where they'll sign H&H on a regular basis.

[3rd]

Much different that FCS. They get peanuts compared to our revenues. FWIW I follow a sports economist on Twitter and he was talking about this scenario and actually wrote about it 4 years ago. He sees this as a way to somewhat close the revenue gap between G5 and P5. I don't know anyone on this board who wouldn't be happy with that. But it makes sense, id bet a playoff game will get a lot more eyeballs than the Dollar General bowl. And teams would get the money not the bowl sponsors.

You and he assume we would get the same/more money in a playoff, you must not remember much with what happened in the 70s. ESPN is losing money badly right now the money pot that was causing all of the massive TV deals is simply not there. 10 years ago every talking head said there will be no way they give up the money of BCS for a playoff look what happened. They will go to 8 it only takes a big SEC school to get left out.

ESPN may be losing subscribers but they are making PLENTY of profit year over year and revenues rose last quarter. ESPN is fine. And it's not just ESPN who would be interested in the broadcasts, CBS and NBC have shown interest. Also, if this were to happen, anyway you slice it we would gain more $ in this playoff scenario. We are lucky if we make 1 dollar playing in bowl game, most schools take a loss playing in bowls.

We wouldn't gain more money I don't understand how you can't see this just as what happened in the 70s. The divisions split teams could still be "D-1" and they would have there own champion, we lost money/broke even on every home playoff game. This past season ESPN picked up 3 sunbelt regular season games that didn't really matter instead of picking up FCS playoffs. That's the facts the G5 doing this will cause this to happen all over again.

[/\PP ST/\TE GRAD 09]

No thank you. I do not care to return to an FCS/JV kind of scenario.

How is a playoff against top G5 schools anymore JV than playing a MAC team in the Camellia Bowl?

[Yosef84]

I don't like the idea of a G5 playoff at all. As others have already stated (or implied), this would be the beginning of a new subdivision. It is exactly the mentality that created I-AA back in the late 70's. The assumption that this would close the gap in terms of revenue is a HUGE assumption and I think it is highly doubtful. As soon as we call it a "championship" we are acknowledging that we are a separate division (not just a designation within a division) and nobody outside of G5 will pay a bit of attention. Once we are viewed as a separate division, I can see the P5 imposing more and more distinctions in order to widen the advantage: Reduced scholarships, Staff limits....all those same differences that FCS has now. We might as well move back to FCS and be done with it.

I loved the playoffs when we were there but I would much rather have one or two slots available (down the road) in an 8 or 12 team FBS playoff. Yes, an early match up with Bama would probably be lopsided but that is true for most P5 teams as well. I'm sure the Pioneer league feels that way about the FCS playoffs. Maybe they should have an FCS Limited Scholarship Championship Playoff.

FBS teams who can't compete with Bama already have a meaningful championship to play for. It's called a Conference Championship! How bout if the G5 just does some work on the existing Bowl alignments to get more meaningful matchups in bowls so that Champions are playing against Champions. That would be a good accomplishment and would probably raise the interest in G5 Bowls.